Closure latch



Oct. 1, 1957 LA VERNE B. RAGSDALE 8, 80 CLOSURE LATCH Filed Aug. 11, 1954 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 zz 21 -72 5 ///////////////j' /////A J7 annual-1mm Inventor Oct. 1, 1957 LA VERNE B. RAGSDALE CLOSURE LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Filed Aug. 11, '1954 v 9; l7 /7L/Z Attorney.

United States Patent CLOSURE LATCH La Verne B. Ragsdale, Dearborn, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 11, 1954, Serial No. 449,133

7 Claims. (Cl. 292'216) This invention relates to closure latches and more particularly to a latch of the infinite locking type.

An object of the invention is to provide engageable latching members with a readily releasable disengagement locking means effective over a wide range of engagement.

The latch primarily consists of a rack striker and a rotary bolt having a coil spring clutch that permits free rotation in engaging direction and releasably prevents rotation in disengaging direction. The rack striker is preferably secured to the closure and the rotary bolt to the closure frame, and resilient means may be provided between the closure and frame urging their separation from closed relation. The latch is particularly adapted for installation as a vehicle hood lid latch or rear deck lid latch as it is simple and economical in construction and easily accommodates the slight dimensional deviations common to mass vehicle production.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial top plan view of a vehicle incorporating the latch of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, a vehicle body is provided with a hood lid or deck lid 12 suitably hinged to the body along the edge 14 and releasably latched to the body at 16 proximate the opposite edge 18. The lid 12 closes flush with the body against a rubber sealing strip 14 as may be seen in Fig. 2 and swings upwardly in opening as shown by the partially open dash-dot position. The lid or closure 12 supports one portion of a latching assembly 20 and the body or closure frame 10 carries the other portion of the latching assembly.

Referring to the remaining figures, bolts 22 secure the head portion 24 of a rack striker 26 to the closure 12. The striker 26 carries a coil spring 28 by means of a washer 30 crimped to the striker by flanges 32 and 34. The coil spring 28 engages the closure frame 10 when the lid 12 is closed urging separation of the lid and frame. The striker 26 is provided with rack teeth 47 for engagement with a rotary bolt, to be described. The striker 26 may be economically manufactured from flat steel stock by utilizing a suitably shaped punch to form a toothed T-shaped striker blank and by bending the blank at 36 in a suitable jig to produce the finished striker.

A supporting bracket 38 is secured by bolts 40 to the 2,808,280 Patented Oct. 1, 1957 closure frame 10 to rotatably mount a rotary bolt 42 that is provided with pinion teeth 44 that are engageable with the rack teeth 47 of the striker 26. The supporting bracket 38, like the striker 26, may be economically manufactured from flat steel stock by punching and bending. at one end for securement to the closure frame. One wall 46 of the channel is apertured to journal a stub shaft 48 of the rotary bolt 42, and the other wall 50 engages an edge of the striker to reinforce the same dur ing tooth engagement. The wall 50 may be slightly curved, if desired, to smoothly guide the striker into bolt engagement despite minor misalignment of the closure and frame.

A drum 52 is riveted to the stub shaft 48 for rotation with the pinion or bolt 42. About the drum is wound a coil spring 54 having a smaller normal I. D. than the drum 0. D. so as to naturally grip the drum and form a coil spring clutch therewith. The coil spring 54 is secured by a loop 56 at one end to a tab 58 on the supporting bracket 38 and by a loop 60 at the other end to a reciprocal release cable 62. When the lid is closed, striker and bolt engagement revolves the drum in spring unwinding direction. The lid cannot be opened as any opening movement would revolve the drum in spring winding direction and increasingly increase the frictional grip of the coil spring on the drum. The coil spring 28 imposes a slight opening force on the lid whenever it is closed to prevent a loosening of the coil spring grip from vibrations that occur in vehicle operation. Opening of the lid is effected by pulling the cable release 62 to increase the coil spring I. D. and thereby loosen the grip on the drum. The latching mechanism is lockable over a wide range as the coil spring clutch is effective whenever the bolt and striker teeth are in engagement. This infinite locking feature particularly adapts the latch for use with vehicles where slight dimensional deviations can be expected.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described fully in order to explain the principles of the invention, it is to be understood that modifications of structure may be made by the exercise of skill in the art within the scope of the invention which is not to be regarded as limited by the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

Iclaim:

1. In a vehicle latching arrangement including a compartment having a rotary bolt pinion journaled thereto and a deck lid having a striker rack secured thereto for engagement and disengagement with the pinion over a relatively wide range on closing and opening of the lid, the improvement comprising a coil spring carried by the lid and engageable with the compartment on closing of the lid, a drum carried by the pinion for rotation therewith, and a coil spring clutch for the drum having one end secured to the compartment and the other end adapted for actuation.

2. In a latching arrangement including a pair of relatively movable closure members, one of which has a rotary bolt journaled thereon and the other of which has a striker secured thereto for engagement and disengagement with the bolt on closing and opening movement of the members, the improvement comprising a release member, a drum rotatable with the bolt, and a coil spring having its body in frictional engagement with the drum, the spring having one end secured to the member that journals the bolt so as to grip the drum and normally prevent disengagement of the striker and bolt with the closure members in closed relation and having the other end secured to the release member to permit the release of the grip of the spring on the drum and allow opening movement of the closure members,

The bracket comprises an L-channel flanged 3. In a latching arrangement including a pair of relatively movable closure members, one of which has a rotary bolt journaled thereon and the other of which has a: striker securedz-theretorfort engagement and dis-i engagement with the "bolt onrrclosingw and opening; move-f ment. of the members, vwtlle' improvement comprising-i a drunrzsecured 'towthebelt for rotation. therewith; a* coil spring" wound around the t drum andl'having aalessernor rotation r in'di'sen'gagement":direction;

4a In: arlatching': arrangement includingg a: pair f rel'a tively movable closure members, one of whiclf has a rota'rtybolt journaled thereonand the other of whi ch has 'a striker secured? thereto roe engagement and dis engagement with the bolt on closingoand opening movement of the: members; tthei improvement comprising a drum secured to' the :bolt for rotation therewith; a release member, and? a wil sprin'g having its body encircling: the. drum? in :frictional engagement therewith andi havi-ng one end :secu'red'ito" the member that supports 'the bolt" and the other end secured to'itheirelease member.

5. In! a: latching iarrangement including a" pair of rela' tively' movable closure members; one of 'which hasa" rotaryxbolt journaled 'th'ereoni and the other 'of which" has a striker secured. theretozfor" engagementand dis engagement with. the bolt on closin'giand opening move ment' of 'the members, the improvementcomprising adrum secured to: the belt for "rotation therewith; a release member; a coilispring intgripping relatio'n with the drum and having one" end secured to the relea'se member-and the other end secured to the member mounting the bolt, and resilient means carried by one of the closure members for engagement with the other closure member on closing movement therebetween to maintain an opening torque on the bolt.

6. In a latching arrangement including a pair of relatively movable closure members, one of which has a rotary bolt journald thereon and the other of which has a striker secured thereto-for engagement and=disengagementwith the bolt' on closingland opening-movement of the members, the improvement comprising? a coil spring clutch associated with the bolt to permit bolt rotation -in strikerengagement direction and to normally prevent bolt rotation in striker disengagement direction, and means for releasing the clutch to permit bolt rotation in striker disengagement direction.

7. In a latching arrangement including a pair of relatively movable closure members,-one=of "which*has a rotary bolt journaled -thereon and the otherofwhich has' astriker secu'red th'ereto" for" engagement and disengagement with"thebolt on' closing and opening move ment ofi the; members, the improvement comprising 1 a coil spring clutch associated with the bolt to permit latching and'ito normallypreveut unl'atchin'g, meansfor releasing tne clutch to pe'r'rm-t 'unlatehing; and resilient means onging: openingmovement 1 of 'the members from closed -relatio'r'ii References Cited: in 'th'e file of this patent UNiTEosTATEs PATENTS 825,7}? Strenge; .a Jan 7, 1908 1 733938 wells a. Dec. 3; 1929- 1377976 Rosenfeld-et a1-. Y Sept. 20, 1-932- 

